I love your poem Izchan ... it reminded me of the film "Dead Poets Society"
Your poem has some parallels with the film,
Although the whole Carpe` Diem/Seize the day thing is too heavily used these days not many people fully understand it anymore.

You know how they use Individuality as a "Marketing Strategy" nowadays..
ex "Don't follow the crowd" "Why be like everyone else"... (like everyone else ??! ) -as in "You can be an individual too..very special like every freckin damn person on this planet!!).

THERE’S AN AMERICA I LOVE TODAY THAT IS EVERYTHING TO ME
IT’S CLEAN AND BRIGHT AND BRAVE; AND STILL SHINES FROM SEA TO SEA
IT ONLY SHINES WITHIN MY HEART; I THOUGHT THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
I’VE LOOKED AROUND, BUT IT’S NOT HERE; WHERE, TELL ME WHERE DID IT GO?

IT’S GONE THE WAY OF OTHER LANDS, STRONG AND GREAT WITH MIGHT
TO LOVE THE ONLY LOVE GOD HATES; THE WORLD OF THE DARK OF NIGHT
SHE’S COMPROMISED HIS HOLY WORD AND PUSHED IT TO THE SIDE
WHERE CLEAN, BRIGHT & BRAVE HAD BEEN, SHE’S FILLED WITH FOOLISH PRIDE

SHE THOUGHT HERSELF MORE MIGHTY THAN THE WORLD HAD EVER KNOWN
BUT ISN’T THAT JUST WHAT THEY SAID BEFORE THE FALL OF ROME?
HER FACE IS MARRED, HER FLAGS ARE BURNED; SHE WONDERS WHAT WENT WRONG
GOD’S MIGHTY HAND OF JUDGMENT HAS HUSHED HER HAUGHTY SONG

BUT WAIT! I SEE IT NOW, WHERE THE HORIZON GRIPS THE SKIES
GOD CALLS HER HOME TO WASH HER FACE AND DRY HER TEARY EYES
HE’S SENT HIS WORD THROUGHOUT THE LAND, PROCLAIM IT FAR AND NEAR
REVIVAL STARTS IN OUR OWN HEARTS, AND SPREADS TO ALL THAT WE HOLD DEAR

THERE’S AN AMERICA I LOVE TODAY THAT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN
WE MUST TURN HER EYES TOWARD HEAVEN TO HONOR GOD INSTEAD OF MEN
SHE’LL BE CLEAN AND BRIGHT AND BRAVE; SHE’LL SHINE FROM SEA TO SEA
AND THE ROAD THAT TAKES HER BACK AGAIN BEGINS WITH YOU AND ME

Ah ... a name that I have come to love through my time writing poems or stories.

The first time I saw Dead Poet Society, I cried for the way how people were lost and found and lost again. It is a sad story but one that tends to remind me of the one thing that keeps me going, like all things we have only ourself to blame when our life turns from bad to worst. Though some might disagree with me, but the truth is, no matter what happends, we are the only that chooses to be WHO we are and not others.

GradPa7 ... those are very beautiful and powerful words.
I too have a feeling that America has gone a stray because of the leaders that have led it to what it has become today. I love America for what it stands for, which I still do today in principle, but I no longer see the America I have come to love so much.

You know the superman motto,
Truth, Justice and the American way?
I just love to listen to the words spoken with conviction.
Oh ... that was so long ago ...

Here is today's last poem ... till tommorow

: Till the sun rises again

If we could take back all the mistake we made
If only we could see the future
Then we can be better prepared
for what might come to be the greatest challenge of life ...
Just to live in peace

But sadly so
we have to muddle through these murky waters
go through hell and fire only to find
more obstacles to climb

Yet is it that bad that we fail
and try again so to make it better
sweat our palms with salty waters
just to make the world into a bearable place

Our time will come one day
where can we sit down and admire
the beauty of this new forged world

Thus work on we must for ourself and children
a future worth living in again
for what else is there in life
than to keep on living
just to see the morning sun rise again.

Good bye my love
you have walked away once more
taking all that is me with you
and showing no sign of return
I sit and ponder among others
what life will be with you far away
when will I be able to stop crying
how will I be whole again
Like summer's rain
gone before it reaches land
that's the feeling within
Good bye again

life is really getting to be a burden
one must understand what it is that makes us tick
why do we go through all the clock work motions
only to see that day end in a different way

sometimes a man just has to shout
and woman have to let the tears dry
Of what that makes us walk away smiling
or crawl away in rags of emotions
The burden of life ...
mysterious as a lie
a dream of dreams
my life

What do I do to ignore what's behind me?
Do I follow my instincts blindly?
Do I hide my pride away from these bad dreams
And give in to sad thoughts that are maddening?
Do I let it go and try to stand it?
Or do I try to catch them red handed?
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness,
Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?
Cause I cant hold when I'm strecthed so thin
(*edit*^original line- "sunlight burns the skin of sleepy men"-^)
I make the right moves but I’m lost within
I put on my daily facade but then
I just end up getting hurt again
By myself
I ask why, but in my mind
I find I can’t rely on myself

I can’t hold on
To what I want when I’m stretched so thin
It’s all too much to take in
I can’t hold on
To anything watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in

If I turn my back I’m defenseless
And to give in to fate seems senseless
If I hide my pride and let it all go on then they’ll
Take from me till everything is gone
If I let them go I’ll be outdone
But if I try to catch them I’ll be outrun
If I’m killed by the questions like a cancer
Then I’ll be buried in the silence of the answer
By myself
I ask why, but in my mind
I find I can’t rely on myself

I can’t hold on
To what I want when I’m stretched so thin
It’s all too much to take in
I can’t hold on
To anything watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in

How do you think I’ve lost so much
I’m so afraid that I’m out of touch
How do you expect I will know what to do
When all I know is what you tell me to

Don’t you know I can’t tell you how to make it go
No matter what I do, how hard I try
I can’t seem to convince myself why
I’m stuck on the outside (x2)

Nemissis, I'd join your contest, but all I have are these dumb three poems that I've already posted. I really only started writing poetry again recently. I mean, I wrote some when I was younger, but those were just...retarded.

Above us a shooting star,
Trailing its light
Just as I cling to my wishes,
My memories
And your tears are illuminated
By the glow
But they were not made for me, I know
They will not fall
As our hands cling to each other
With the smallest
Gravitational pull in the universe
I will miss you

I thank all those that have come and shared again into this thread. For I thought I will be the only one that will be posting for the rest of it.

Welcome bizznatch, binary and trista for contributing.

I would have loved to listen to your song bizz, you have it on MP3 or something? If so, mind if I download it for some interesting listening?

Nemesis, usual, solid portray of work. Your words tend to remind me of all those novels I read (fantasy) where the hero and heroine's love hate relationship. Well, it also speaks volume in my best friends current relationship, he is still finding the courage to stand up and make a decision.

As for Trista, in this world, there are no stupid poems, just hard to understand ones ... ... give us some time and we will get it, if not you can always write a synopsis to explain what you are trying to say. But this

Quote:

Originally posted by Trista

Above us a shooting star,
Trailing its light
Just as I cling to my wishes,
My memories
And your tears are illuminated
By the glow
But they were not made for me, I know
They will not fall
As our hands cling to each other
With the smallest
Gravitational pull in the universe
I will miss you

is very well written and straight foward. The sadness you are trying to give is very strong. Keep your poems coming in. We will love to read more of your work.

The day is still young, will post my poem for the day later, have to get back to my paycheck before I get caught ..

Here's an obfiscated sonnet I wrote a few weeks ago. Rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ. Ten syllables per line, iambic, etc. Turn (as usual) in the last two lines. Enjoy.

- Jarsonic

-------------------------

I Am Not My Own

I am not my own. I hold not, live not.
I am dead, as far as the world can see.
Wistful for days of ignorance, I sought
The times past when living was so carefree,
Days when my life seemed less painful, I thought.
What drove me to this? Not dimming; but a sort
Of glorious light, to which I have naught
To compare. Dirt and flesh, all fallen short
Of what I was made to be. I abide
In the Fall. I lost before I arose:
I never knew how dark I was inside,
How frightened I could be of my shadows.
I am not my own. Set apart, I boast
In the fact that my sin has lost its grip.
Pressed on all sides... but not broken. So close.
Revel in weakness; Power made perfect
In my fractured self. Enveloped by Grace,
I strive onward... for I am not alone.
Thus I decrease, so that He may increase
In my life. You see... I am not my own.

I have never written a sonet before ... .. some simple songs for the fun of it, but not a sonet ... that was amazing.

The lyrics are very nicely done, and the words are to the point. I particualartly like the way you dance around the words I AM NOT MY OWN so well. I tend to write like that too, but not very succesfull everytime.

Do you have more to share? Send it all in, I know for a fact that people in this thread will love to read more stuff like that.

here is today's contribution.

: In life we wonder

Quote:

Have you ever wondered
what you will do
if you do not need to worry
and you never need to cry

Have you ever imagine
what it will be
if life were perfect
and nothing bothers the sky

Have you ever thought
that if everything was different
than everything will be right
all will be good again

Yet how boring it will be
if things never go wrong
if life was so predictable
that change cannot be conceive

And how scarry it becomes
when one no longer live anymore
living day in and day out
life like a dog
just the canine and its fleas
death due to lack of originiality

How many times do I tell the lie
so that I can believe in the name of love
and forget all that was hurting in me

How many times do I need to avoid your eyes
so that I can admire something that does not exists

So help me love why is it always me
that have to move aside for you to move on
why must I be the one left behind in the dust
when you take your future somewhere better

I am tired love
I am weary
I have nothing more to give
and I have nothing more to live for
so why do I keep on going?
I do not understand
I walk the road of a dead man
I sing the song of sorrow tune

Why do I keep this charade at all
I have no idea
I think I never will
just have to let it go now
this burden that have me subdued
free to wander once more
into the world without a clue
into the world without a you

Side note: Last check on Nemesis poem poll, leading by 5 is Jarsonics
'I am not my Own' ... remarkable pieace of poetry.

Any one who wishes to post their poem here is welcomed and encourage so, we discuss about the work that is shared and give our humble opinions of what we think. Though we might not be professional's, we do try to give our two cents without mutilating your work.

i wrote this when i was drunk and high, i just found it on my desk 5 minutes ago.

my ears are red from the headphones
my eyes are erd from the weed
my head moves back
and yanks the plug from the speaker
and my empty ears bleed
red sugar running
down my shoulders to the carpet
soaking in and staining
plug the phones back in
fill my ears again with candy.

stttafffy, welcome to the thread, your weed is really bringing the best of you ... if this is the quality in which you get when you are high, I can almost wonder what you can write when you are sober ... ... good work keep it coming.

Today's contribution come in a different kind of tune ...

: Heart Slaves

Quote:

We are slaves of our hearts
Whatever it wishes we provide
Whatever it fancies we supply
we battle the unseen just to get
the diamond that sits in the sky

Yet our hearts often flikers
Never knowing what it wants
Seldom the same from one second to another
often not remembering yesterday's lover

Like a drunken monkey
our hearts will wander
until one day some passer by
will come and cage it inside
their walls of solid will
with candy words and sweet aroma
the passer by soften our hearts
and captures our hearts desire

At the end we are still a slave to our hearts
and the love of our life becomes its master

Now this is something I just cooked up, it sounds a bit different from my usual work, but hey, nothing new, nothing gained ...

Nice Haiku, have not had any one contribute haiku poetry for some time now.

Keep it coming, we appriciate contributions from evrerybody

:End Note

Quote:

It has been a long tiring of minutes
where every second takes my soul away
when ticking of clocks mark my ending
to an end of this decay

Now I lay slowly listening
My life sipping down memory lane
all that I have done now a motion picture
which I direct, produce and narrate

So what will I say for my ending
did I do the things I wanted?
Have I made my dreams come true
maybe this is not the end after all
rather an interlude before the final call
to prepare these last notes of what my life saw

A bit depressing, but all the songs in my mp3 list seems to be talking about ending it ...

thought i would contribute a little of my own work, a song i am currently working on... and i will give a link to my poetry on the web... my songs are not up, because i have yet to record anything.. any way... here goes nothing...

I come apart at the seams, giving you what you need.
My energy beams in waves like the sun,
I won't rest until my dreams are won...
When all my schemes are done,
and I'm the number-one-white-rapper-supreme.
With all the elevated niggaz on my team.
Unrolling like a ream of paper,
the masked villian in this hip-hop caper.
Stretching your ears like a taper, cuz I'm rhyming greater.
Larger than the size of my body, I always rock the party.
Making other mc's rhymes sound shoddy,
as slick as Rick rocking Lodi Dodi.
I gotta be the dopest mc on the scene,
not concerned with making pocketfulls of green...
But smoking the green almost like a fiend,
never out of need, but for a love of the weed,
I wish I could be Johnny Hempseed.
I'm working on themaster rhymes, to pass the times,
As the feeling climbs, like smoking phat dimes.
I'll have you pressing rewind, as I infect your mind,
trying to help you find, happiness inside.
None of us should have to hide our beauty to ride,
this trip called life, happiness is our birthright.
Love is always within our sight, we can embrace it each day and night,
and use it to climb to new heights of spiritual insight.

thats all i have for now.... all original, from my brain to my hand to my pen to my pad, i present to you.... myself... peace..
Dave Id

Welcome Dave ID ... your words are touching, strong and sober. I can feel a tad of anger within the words, like shouting for attention. Touching. Like something I would expect when I listen to smash mouth songs.

Will visit your site soon, and I hope to be able to hear your songs as well. You have any site that allows your MP3 to be downloaded?

Again ... thanks for sharing.

And here is todays contribution.

: Inner Child

Quote:

Might be a light in the dark places
inside those corners of our heart
a scared childs tears hanging upon hope
praying that an adult will come and save them

The older we get
the more our child inside scare
suffocating from lack of laughther
dying from unpopular opinion

Yet it is this child
that will save our life
where the child can see a better future
a time where people are actually nice
and not just with good acting skills

oh how I wish I could let my inner child live again
so that I can laugh like tommorow does not matter
and the past becomes just a memory
where the present rules supreme
a child with candy in hand
smiles of an angel
peace of mind
freedom at last

i dont know, it got stuck in my head for the longest time, i dont know why. once PabUK is back up ill post bot the poems i posted there here (makey da cents?) anywho, i like reading these, they are really nice.

I awoke early one summer day and stumbled outside
The cool grass was still covered in dew,
I could feel comforting breezes across my face,
Like a mother gently stroking her child.

As I walked across my yard, the sun began to rise,
It was such a beautiful sight,
Full of color and life, all things around me began to glow.
It was like the earth was waking.

At first it seemed like the treetops were caught in a fiery blaze,
Then it continued to scorch the houses and bushes,
At last I felt it strike and singe my face,
The golden rays almost too much to withstand.

They warmed my face bringing me to life,
This feeling, this glorious magnificent feeling.
The glow coursed through my veins,
Energizing me for the day to come.

Bound by chain of dwarven magic, A tale of trickery, long and tragic,
Sword in jaw, awaiting the day, Ragnarok, when all gods shall pay